Abstract
Controlled environments are pivotal in all bioconversion processes, influencing the efficacy of biocatalysts. In this study, we designed a batch bioreactor system with a packed immobilization column and a decontamination chamber to enhance phenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation using the hyper-tolerant bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa STV1713. When free cells were employed to degrade phenol and 2,4-DCP at a concentration of 1000 mg/L, the cells completely removed the pollutants within 28 h and 66 h, respectively. Simultaneous reductions in chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand were observed (phenol: 30.21 mg/L/h and 16.92 mg/L/h, respectively; 2,4-dichlorophenol: 12.85 mg/L/h and 7.21 mg/L/h, respectively). After assessing the degradation capabilities, the bacterium was immobilized on various matrices (sodium alginate, alginate-chitosan-alginate and polyvinyl alcohol-alginate) to enhance pollutant removal. Hybrid immobilized cells exhibited greater tolerance and degradation capabilities than those immobilized in a single matrix. Among them, polyvinyl alcohol-alginate immobilized cells displayed the highest degradation capacities (up to 2000 mg/L for phenol and 2500 mg/L for 2,4-dichlorophenol). Morphological analysis of the immobilized cells revealed enhanced cell preservation in hybrid matrices. Furthermore, the elucidation of the metabolic pathway through the catechol dioxygenase enzyme assay indicated higher activity of the catechol 1,2-dioxygenase enzyme, suggesting that the bacterium employed an ortho-degradation mechanism for pollutant removal. Additionally, enzyme zymography confirmed the presence of catechol 1,2-dioxygenase, with the molecular weight of the enzyme determined as 245 kDa.
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Data availability
The data supporting this study's findings are available from the corresponding author, Suchithra Tharamel Vasu, upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
We want to acknowledge the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology, and Environment for the financial support throughout this study. Also, we would like to acknowledge Dr. K. Haribabu for his valuable suggestions during the design of the batch bioreactor.
Funding
Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment (Sasthra Bhavan, Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India-695004) (Research Fellowship- Sanction order No.29/FSHP/2016/KSCSTE dated 24.03.2017).
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All authors, RS and STV, contributed to the study's conception and design. RS performed material preparation, data collection and experimental analyses. RS wrote the first draft of the manuscript and all authors commented on previous versions. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Sasi, R., Vasu, S.T. Batch-mode degradation of high-strength phenolic pollutants by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain STV1713 immobilized on single and hybrid matrices. Biodegradation (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-023-10067-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-023-10067-w